Given the continuous improvements in technologies that can generate electrical energy from renewable resources (e.g., wind turbines, solar panels, wave energy converters (WECs), etc.), microgrids are becoming a viable alternative or supplement to the conventional electrical grid. A microgrid can comprise, for example, a plurality of energy sources, at least one of which can be independently operated. An exemplary microgrid may additionally include devices (e.g., batteries, capacitor banks, etc.) for retaining excess electrical energy and discharging energy when an energy deficit exists. Furthermore, a microgrid may include energy generators that output energy using non-renewable resources, such as a diesel engine-driven generator.
Currently, however, it is difficult to design a microgrid and/or modify an existing microgrid due to the lack of mechanisms for testing componentry of the microgrid and interaction between componentry of the microgrid. For example, a wind turbine is too large to be deployed in most laboratory settings. Accordingly, if testing a control system that is used to balance sources and loads in a microgrid that includes a wind turbine is desired, two options are currently available: 1) purchase and deploy the wind turbine in the microgrid, assuming the risk that the wind turbine and/or control system will not operate as desired; or 2) to test the control system entirely in software through simulation of the wind turbine. The second approach, however, may not be desirable, as the simulation may not accurately reflect the physical wind turbine.